As Miss Tonga, Brittne Fuimaono (21) will be vying with six other beauties for the title Miss Pacific Islands 2015 in the Cook Islands from December 6-12.

Brittne who lives in Hawaii won Tonga's Miss Heilala title this year, and looks foward to this week's Pacific Islands pageant.

"I feel very excited, driven and I am very prepared. But to be honest, I also feel nervous because I do know there is a lot of competition at the pagean,t so I ask for your support and love,” said Brittne today in Nuku’alofa. She leaves for the pageant on 4 December.

She said winning the Miss Heilala title in July earlier this year had been a life-changing experience.

She is currently working with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on a project to build a public library in Nuku’alofa.

"We will be getting out to start book drives and gather resources for the children in Tonga, because education is very important," she said.

Brittne who aims to further her own education is looking at becoming a registered nurse in paediatrics.

"I encourage every young Tongan woman and man to follow their dreams. If you believe in yourself you're already halfway there, as Theodore Roosevelt said.”

Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands and Tonga will be competing at the Miss Pacific Islands 2015 pageant.